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Ha’azinu: Tapping into the Holy Dew
Parshat Ha’azinu is a song filled with poetic language about the Jewish people’s journey with Hashem, and the ups and downs throughout their history. The Torah takes us back in time to our days in the desert, reflecting upon Hashem’s desire for us as well as criticizing us for complacency and times we abandoned our…
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Nitzavim-Vayelech: Circumcision of the Heart
וּמָ֨ל ה אֱלֹ-הֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה אֱלֹ-הֶ֛יךָ And Hashem, your G-d will open your heart and the heart of your descendants to love Hashem your G-d… (Devarim 30:6) This verse describes the closeness that will be achieved between Hashem and the Jewish people following their teshuva (return), to righteousness. An interesting word is…
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Ki Tavo: How to Battle Against Sichon
At the end of the parsha, Moshe reminds the people of the miracles Hashem performed for them. From leaving Egypt, to receiving manna from Heaven – and the wars with Sichon, King of Cheshbon and Og, King of Bashan. Rashi tells us that these wars, the precursor to the actual conquering of the land, took…
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Ki Teitzei: The Non-Jewish Woman Captive
This week’s parsha begins with the perplexing scenario of eishet yefat toar. Literally translated as “woman of beautiful appearance,” the pesukim outline that under circumstances of war, a Jewish soldier who sees a non-Jewish female captive may take her as his wife, following certain conditions. Here, we will discuss and explore some of the depth…
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Re’eh: Tzedaka, the Feminine Way
When it comes to tzedaka, the Torah’s commandment is twofold. The pasuk tells us not to harden our heart nor to withhold our hand (Devarim 15:7). These two elements of the Torah’s commandment speak to two different parts of us: the emotional and the physical. On an emotional level, the Torah tells us not to…
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Ekev: No One Will Stand Up Before You
“No man will stand up before you, Hashem your G-d will cast fear of you… on all the land upon which you tread.” The final pasuk of this week’s parsha reinforces the message which is sprinkled throughout the parsha – that Hashem will not allow any enemy to prevail over us. He will make sure…
